Veros Sarotha
I left Sadrith eager to tear down the faiths of others, the traditions of my homeland, the temples of gods and the idols of worshipers. I was taught to hate those who rely on others, or worse, who rely on powers beyond. Strength, discipline, will. These were the pillars of my upbringing, the mantra of my years as a younger man. But the world is bigger than the halls of Sadrith, the peoples that inhabit it more complex than Strong and Weak, Enslaved and Free. I journeyed with a varied band, united by a noble purpose. In priests of the Gods I scorned I found the strength and burdens of leadership, in warlocks I found the will to bend the beyond to your own purpose, in the merciful I found humility and compassion, a reminder of not only why we were fighting, but who for. We made difficult choices in those days. Lives lost and blood shed became the currency in which we traded blows. Battlefields and cities became pieces in some great game, a struggle so large you never dared look at who was fighting on your behalf, who was dying.'' ''I lost much of myself in that war. The idealism and fervor I left Sadrith with ebbed in the face of those I met, those I fought with, and those I struggled against. I replaced it with hubris, arrogance, and fury, fed by a Blade which I thought I wielded, but in fact served. If you still pursue me for it, know that it is gone. Like all infections left too long to fester, it cost much to remove it. It is returned to its master, and I am free of its power. Now I journey on, with renewed yet altered purpose. I know now that a the character of a person is not the sum of their power, the degree of their freedom. A man's character, his strength, is in those he trusts, those he fights with. I am never more certain that the mortal races of the world can cast off their shackles and forge their own fate, but it will never be achieved by heroes large or sorcerers mighty. The world is inhabited by common folk, and it is common folk who should inherit it, and live in good health, ruled by the just, protected by their brothers and sisters strong. I go to a place where once this was true. - Veros Sarotha, 3 years after the end of the War in Silence, writing to his former companions, his family and his pursuers. Veros Sarotha is an exiled noble of House Sarotha of the Nerevic Empire. Under the decrees of the Great Fane in 13DE, Veros along with most Psionic practitioners in Sadrith were declared outlaws following the uprising and destruction in that city. An immensely powerful psion and warrior, he journeys through Vhir and Yantir, searching for ways to stop the arrival of Exarchs and the resurgence of the Primordials. History Early Years and Schooling Born in Nereva in 681 LN, Veros was the son of a prominent noblewoman and leading member of House Sarotha, Oryn Sarotha. Displaying psionic potential from a young age, Veros was sent for schooling in the Sihil and Relyn schools, as befitted his status and potential. Veros quickly became enamored by the philosophy of the Self-Made Saints, seeing his gift as part of a long line of independence and free will that House Sarotha, as he was told, embodied. Leaving the larger schools to train with Radac Sarotha, a powerful revolutionary and radical in the city, Veros endured harsh training schemes to focus his mind and body, becoming a weapon Radac hoped would help free Sadrith from Temple rule, while also becoming a revolutionary that brought shame on his family. True Nobility Radac, for his writings and pamphlets, as well as his personal psionic power, garnered the attention of Lucius Hightower, who was forming a group to oppose the rise of the Heir. Passing his invitation on to his favored pupil, Radac saw the chance to test Veros' powers, and allow the teacher himself to remain in the city during what he saw as a critical phase. Veros therefore played a major role in the events of the War in the Silence, fighting alongside Dafin Grost, Franzik Futherwald and Lothon Randalhost, eventually succeeding in slaying the Heir in G'yass and toppling his authoritarian empire. The Blade of Stone During his adventures Veros came across a powerful primordial artefact; a sliver of the heart of Ogremoch, chipped off during the God's attempts to destroy the Primordial once and for all. Although appearing as nothing more than a 2ft shard of dull rock, the blade was immensely powerful, binding with the wielder and channeling its energy through them, while it simultaneously warped their mind and transformed them into a puppet of Ogremoch himself. While the strength of the Blade was needed to slay the Heir, in doing so the heart of Ogremoch tasted the divine blood of an Exarch, causing minor earthquakes throughout Yantir as the Primordial began to wake from its slumber. Veros was nearly possessed by the Blade in this ordeal, and fled the scene of the battle in a desperate attempt to protect it. While other members of the party pursued him, fearing the artefacts power, Veros struggled to regain control over himself and the weapon. A Splash and a Glint Eventually, Veros found his way to the Gulf of Yantir, subconsciously drawn to the resting place of the Heart of Ogremoch. Sailing deep into the Gulf, Veros attempted to cast the blade away, but found it drove him deeper and deeper into the sea, calling him to reunite it with the Heart. In desperation, Veros held the Blade before him and cut the artefact from him, leaving him with only two fingers in his right hand. The Blade sunk to the depths of the Gulf, slowly continuing its journey to the Heart, guided by currents of Xhahon Dor. Wounded but free, Veros returned to the shore, to contemplate his journey, and his future. Category:Characters Category:Vhir